For most of us, the scariest word of summer is “shorts.” We’ve been running from them for years, sweating out June, July, and August in jeans, pants, or at least a pair of capris. Anything to cover up our legs.
But this summer, many members posted a new hashtag, #summerofshorts, on Connect. Intrigued, we asked you to tell us more. It turns out that behind a pair of shorts are stories of freedom, confidence, and self-love.
Sara: Blasting Past Pants
Before WW, summer clothing for Sara meant lighter-weight pants, “no exception.” OK, one exception: “I had one pair of knee-length Bermuda shorts for when I absolutely, positively had to wear shorts.”
But since beginning her weight-loss journey, Sara decided that this was the summer to revisit the notion of shorts. “I made it a goal to find shorts that are flattering and comfortable at my current size,” she says. “All my summer shorts are now a much shorter inseam than I ever would have been brave enough to wear at my old weight–but I'm surprised how even on bigger legs, a shorter inseam is a lot more flattering than my old Bermudas!”
Wearing shorts has also opened up a new appreciation of her body and what it does for her on a daily basis: “I quickly realized that the only one judging my legs in a pair of shorts was me. And now that I see my legs all weekend long, it’s easier to marvel at the active things they do to keep up with family and friends and the strength that is building through each step of this journey.”
Lauren: Completely Confident in Shorts
Ever since she was a kid and her mom and aunt discussed the stretch marks on her thighs, Lauren was “too self-conscious for shorts.” No more. Since losing weight on WW, Lauren says she’s “completely confident in shorts.”
Before this summer, she wore jeans and capris to cover up her legs. “I don’t think shorts were in my sight last summer,” she says. “I expected to always be in capris!”
“My body isn’t perfect,” she adds, “but I’m done hiding it.” Lauren has found the world a more comfortable place since adding shorts to her wardrobe, and that not only includes being active outside, but also going on trips to the zoo and sightseeing through the South.
“I have definitely gained an epic amount of confidence since starting WW,” she says. “I love shopping and dressing myself. I’m enjoying makeup more. I’m really having fun with this!”
Amy: Shorts and Self-Love
“This summer I told myself I was going to wear shorts no matter what,” says Amy. “I have come too far to spend another summer hiding my legs because they aren’t what you see in magazines.”
In a burst of body wisdom, Amy adds, “My legs are imperfect, but they are strong. My legs have cellulite and stretch marks and that’s where I carry the bulk of my weight, but my legs carry me through my day and allow me to run, do Bar Method, play with my children, and be an active and strong woman.”
Amy has worked hard over the years to learn to love her body no matter where she is in her weight-loss journey. “I am a work in progress, and the number on the scale does not define me any longer,” she says.
So, for Amy, wearing shorts is about something much bigger: “I am letting go of body shaming and instead practicing self-love, even when that’s hard to do…. I look forward to where this journey leads me and look forward to many years at a healthy weight and living my life to the fullest because of the WW program.”
Taryn: Shorts Are Her “Everest”
From middle school all through high school, no shorts. In college, shorts for rugby but worn with leggings. Post-college, no shorts…until she couldn’t stand the heat.
“I live in Los Angeles,” says Taryn, “so it gets pretty darn hot. It was in the 90s one day, and I was hiding out in an air-conditioned shop. I’d been thinking about shorts for a while, but hadn’t dared.”
Finally, Taryn had, well, an “eff-it” moment: “I was hot, and I wanted to wear shorts. I took a deep breath, and I got some shorts.”
And she found shorts not just about comfort, but also a sign of confidence and health: “I honestly didn’t think I’d ever be comfortable enough in my own skin to wear revealing clothing. I even went out in public in them! I posted on Connect, and the support I received brought me to tears.”
There have been many challenges and conquests in Taryn’s weight-loss journey but shorts, she says, were her “Everest.”
“I did it though,” she says. “I even brought them when my family went to Europe!” A lifelong relationship with shorts has begun.